With April comes the spring awakening, the lengthening of daylight hours and, for those involved in the SPFL Premiership, the split.
In recent seasons Motherwell has, more often than not, crossed that threshold and passed into the top half of the table there to enjoy the bountiful fruits that come with a few enlarged gates and the healthy payout that follows from a finish in the upper reaches of the league.
More of this needed!
This time, alas, we’ll be content with establishing a sizeable gap from the bottom two. Escape from the bottom six is possible but not on our current form.
The remaining four fixtures begin this weekend with our third visit to Ibrox this season. Despite coming close on those earlier trips we left with nothing. In August we held a one goal lead inside the last half hour but managed to lose 2-1. In January, this time in the Scottish Cup, we were ahead inside the final five minutes only to leave shattered with another 2-1 loss. Armed with a new manager we’ll try again.
The final three games will be fascinating. All are against our fellow strugglers. Hamilton (h), Partick Thistle (a) and Inverness (h) and the outcome of that trio could define our season.
That Stephen Robinson has been upbeat about the team’s chances is no surprise. He has to ensure that we face the season finale with morale high. His squad is now free of suspension and he’ll be hoping that the injury list had reduced to a manageable length.
After a stop-start season fragmented by international breaks it will be good to return to an intense spell of action. Let’s hope for some claret and amber cheer in the April sunshine.